The Netherlands is the fourth largest cheese producer in Europe, according to Eurostat statistics. Europe's cows produced 160.1 million tons of raw milk last year, an increase of 1.1 percent from the previous year. The milk was used for the processing of various dairy products and by-products. Germany led in the production of fresh and processed dairy products, butter, cheese, yogurt, and other acidified products. France and Italy were the leading countries in cheese production, followed by Germany, and Germany also topped the list in butter production, followed by France, Ireland, and Poland.